Bill Ayers speaks out! An In These Times exclusive.

The Devil and Daniel Pipes

By Salim Muwakkil

The Bush administration’s war on terrorism has done little so far but increase the ranks of potential terrorists. And while this may seem to be the regrettable result of a bumbling foreign policy, there are signs the administration is deliberately trying to antagonize the Islamic world; there seems to be method to its madness. After a few bellicose statements about… return to article

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    Ever since I read about James Woosley’s comments back in September 2002, I have suspected that this administration was intentionally stirring up trouble.  As you probably already know, Woosley is a former CIA thugnut.  During a discussion sponsored by Frontpage Magazine back on September 18, 2002, Woosley advanced that we are in WWIV (the Cold War having been WWIII) over in the middle east.

    http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=3158

    I found his position shocking and disgusting.  Moreover, I have since found my suspicion about this administration’s true aims growing more dark and sinister.  It sucks being compelled to be so distrustful of the whitehouse.

    United States Posted by Just Me on Sep 8, 2003 at 1:14 PM

    Strange that I would come across this article about “World War Four” after posting at this site:

    http://www.globeandmail.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/ LAC/20030906/TERROR06//?query=fourth+world+war

    United States Posted by Just Me on Sep 8, 2003 at 2:22 PM

    Not a single terrorist attack in the US in 2 years. Thank God for the Bush administration!

    I’d suggest reading Krauthammer’s piece on Pipes for a little perspective.

    United States Posted by Ty on Sep 8, 2003 at 2:56 PM

    Ty, are you kidding?

    Bush KNEWabout 9/11 and didn’t do anything about it. He allowed this to happen to bail out his horrifying presidency and to rape the resources of the middle east.
    Neither has worked, more and more Americans have died and the economy is in the shitter.

    No, FUCK George Bush Jr. and Sr.

    United States Posted by neil on Sep 9, 2003 at 12:28 AM

    They have always used provocation to get what they want.  Read Gore Vidal’s _Burr_ and the same theme is obvious.  They won’t stop unless they get unelected; but then, the democrats will get to run the same old systems, with the same modus operandi. 
    Its recent history began right after the assassination of John Kennedy, when Lyndon J. said to the generals, “Get me elected and I’ll give you your damn war.” The generals, and their overlords, the corporate rulers, have not looked back once since....

    United States Posted by Ryokan on Sep 9, 2003 at 1:01 AM

    Provocation is an essential element of īrealpolitikŠ, and US foreign (and domestic !) policy makers, like their counterparts in other countries, have used it long, if not well. As a reflection of its inherent duplicity, the un-elected Bush administration has, however, taken this method to new heights—or depths, depending upon one’s point of view....

    Europe Posted by M. Henri Day on Sep 9, 2003 at 2:42 AM

    great website!!!!Stimulate thinking.
    Today something thought stroke me:
    Could it be that all this that happens over the last 2 years in USA be the great plan
    behind the 9/11 attacks? Dont laugh, ponder this:
    Osama cited as reason for the terror attacks to give America a taste of his own medicine(i.e. the 3rd world troubles) and the intention to bring it down. As i see, he is highly succesfull thanks to the help of the neocons.
    After 9/11 you have:
    - more repression
    and curtailing of civil libertys
    ( PATRIOT ACT)
    - trashing of human rights and justice
    ( guantanamo Bay)
    - bring into line the press to the interrest of the ruling regime
    - diverting hugh amounts of money to the armed forces and millitary projects away from education, healt care and maintenance
    - alienating old alliances ( Europe)
    and on and one.............
    If you read Asimov`s theories about psycho historie, you wonder if this was the final intention behind Osamas Terror attack. This guys thinking in long pictures ( decades) and to forsee
    the reaction of George, “ Rumsie” ,"Dick" and “ Wolfie” isn`t this difficult if you have Internet and access to past puplications from this guys:-))).
    All what Osama has to do is sit back and collect Money! Not for future Terror attacks, but for Donations to get George W. re- elected. He will do the perfect job to bring the USA down.
    Soon you will ( and in some cases you are allready there) on equal levels in
    poverty -, illiterate-, infant mortality-,
    civil liberty rates of any chosen 3rd world regime.
    While you are spending countless billions to fight “Terror”, your country falls in the best scenario just apart. And no chance to win for you guys.
    Even if you kill every terrorist, occupie every Country and become the Great Empire of the Masturbation Dreams of the Neocons, the Idea of the USA as a free and liberal country will be dead! Osama has won!!!!!!!!

    New Zealand (Aotearoa) Posted by Mike on Sep 9, 2003 at 6:41 AM

    and if somebody says: but we have destroyed the infrastructure of al Quaida,
    brought the taliban and saddam down.....
    if you play Chess ( bin laden does, i bet)you know you have sometimes to sacrifice your Queen to win...............

    New Zealand (Aotearoa) Posted by Mike on Sep 9, 2003 at 6:48 AM

    Neil- Bush “KNEW” about 911 and you want to “F....” him?

    Man, you need help. 

    United States Posted by Ty on Sep 9, 2003 at 11:53 AM

    Well, TY, it’s a figure of speech, of total disregard for his authority, like my disregard for your intelligence, TY.
    And, YES, he knew, he’s accountable. If you don’t think so, do something INTELLIGENT, if you can grasp a concept like that and read other souces.
    I don’t know if you’re trying to be funny or if you’re just a dickless shithead.

    United States Posted by neil on Sep 9, 2003 at 6:51 PM

    Oh, and FUCK THE CUBS.

    United States Posted by neil on Sep 9, 2003 at 6:51 PM

    Neil-
    Well spoken. I definitely retract my earlier statements. You do realize progressive outlets are getting slammed right now right? Your types are the reason why. Salim-although I disagree with him here-is smart, respected, and educated (and a fellow Chicagoan who I miss from the Trib monday section).

    Try to keep your odd sexual dreams of having sex with baseball players and executives out of serious discussion here. It’s just too important and space is limited.

    Try this- read Krauthammer’s piece and tell us all point by point what is wrong with it. That is intellectual. That is intelligent. That is democracy. If I’m wrong I’ll own up. But I won’t have sex with the Cubs.

    Ty-

    ps- I’m a Viking’s fan. And Idaho is the homebase of Skinheads.

    United States Posted by Ty on Sep 9, 2003 at 8:15 PM

    Yeah, you pushed my buttons. Sometimes I go overboard. I felt bad all evening for my tantrum and I apologize to you, and not just because I feel bad.

    But I don’t know why you’re hung-up on my dislike for the president and my colorful way of expressing it. Some intellectuals, and I’m in no way saying I am because I’m just a hack, express themselves in arrogant ways which are worse than just coming right out and saying it. And I don’t mean you by that, either.

    My sympathies for the Vikiings getting so close and not getting there. My mom is a Vikings fan. Me, pro football is boring, but college isn’t. And I spent 5 years in the minors and the Cubs were my rivals. But in a friendly way. I worked for the White Sox.

    Now, I don’t know if you’re calling me a skinhead. They would agree with Bush because of their intolerance for just about anything non-white. And the whole idea of Idaho being their base was at one time accurate but isn’t so much anymore. They’ve lost a lot of power since the Ruby Ridge incident--moving to midwestern states like Nebraska and Oklahoma.

    Anyway, thanks for the kick--I’ll tone it down and cool off before sending any posts.

    Neil

    United States Posted by neil on Sep 9, 2003 at 9:11 PM

    The Karl Rove strategy is in place.  The manipulation of the American psyche is blatant, but effective.  Don’t miss :
    Setting the TERROR Trap!
    http://tvnewslies.org/html/terror_trap.html

    United States Posted by Reg on Sep 10, 2003 at 2:26 PM

    Ty,

    Not to be picky, but there was a period of more than 8 years between al Qaeda’s first attack on US soil and its second.  In light of that, 2 years without an attack in the US isn’t particularly impressive, no matter who’s in the White House.

    United States Posted by Aaron on Sep 11, 2003 at 2:25 PM

    Yesterday, the senate approved taxpayer funding for the administration’s new nuclear weapons program.  I guess they just do not care whether or not they are inciting another nuclear arms race.  They say we must pursue new nukes for the deterrent effect (notwithstanding we already have enough nukes to destroy the earth several times over).  Don’t you believe that we should invest some serious thought into how to successfully treat such clearly pathological thinking? 

    United States Posted by Leslee Hamrick on Sep 17, 2003 at 1:49 PM

    1. I have trouble understanding the value of progressive ideology given the fact that it is based wholly on communism. A failed and far dealier political religion than ‘conservatism’.

    In fact, doesn’t it seem odd that everything progressives ascribe to conservatives are in fact attributes of real communist regimes? ie. dictatorship, repression, total economic control…

    2. When Salim Muwakkil argues that the war on terror will only inflame Muslims to more violence and terrorism against the US, he is admitting that Daniel Pipes is in fact correct in his writings.

    Perhaps instead of worrying about whether we are ‘provoking’ the Muslim world, by defending ourselves, the Muslim world should give some thought to whether they are provoking the US by not repudiating terrorist ideology.

    United States Posted by Eric on Sep 21, 2003 at 6:06 AM

    Okay, Eric,...since you believe that “progressive ideology” (whatever that means) is based upon communism, I ask that you explain to us readers both what “communism” and “progressive ideology” mean.  The reason I ask is because I simply do not see the link between “creative problem solving towards improvement” (which is I consider as “progressive") and “a theory of governance wherein the government controls the production and distribution of goods” (which is what I thought “communism” meant).  If you would share your perception, perhaps I could better understand what you are talking about.

    Also, you seem to believe in the use of coercion or force even in circumstances where a person or group may be retaliating against what they perceive to be a real and substantive threat.  I have just one question for you:  what if you are wrong?

    United States Posted by Just Me on Sep 22, 2003 at 2:51 AM

    Erik, to your first point: are you saying that becouse a certain attribute can beconnected to a certain political system, that the same attribute cannot be true for another system? that would be like saying that person over there has blond hair, so this other person cannot have blond hair. it just doesn’t make sense.
    you also mention ‘real communist regimes’. there has never been such a thing. real communism means the rule of the working people. how many communist regimes do you know that were ruled by the people?
    to your second statement: somebody has to stop the circle of violence and you cannot expect it to be the others. if everyone looks at it that way nothing is going to change for the better. that is why you cannot wage war on terrorism: you just give the terrorists more reason to hate you. so apart from genocide which is certainly out of the question, the only way to improve matters is in show your ‘kindness of heart’ and using money to help people instead of using it to kill people.

    Germany Posted by John Doe on Sep 25, 2003 at 10:43 AM

    Not to be TOO picky, but it seems that you’ve been ascribing of characteristics of an oligarchy (a particular system of governance) to communism (a particular economic system).  In theory, such entities as a communist democracy can exist, though this has not, to date, happened in practice. 

    On a different note, I find it rather interesting that the characteristics often attributed to “conservative” politics (e.g. a smaller centralized government and system of beauracracy, embracing states’ rights) seem antithetical to this current administration’s ideology.  While the Bush administration has, predictably, cut federal funding of many social programs, it has created numerous federal programs for the monitoring of the populus, primarily encapsulated within a single, centralized agency (Homeland Security), of course.  Also, our Minstry of Truth (MiniTruth--i.e. the State Department), has been consistently attacking our civil liberties (the “PATRIOT” Act, of course...they also have been trying to reverse the 1966 Miranda ruling).

    ...Just some thoughts.  I just needed to vent.  I’ll stow the soapbox for now.

    United States Posted by A. Vagabond on Sep 26, 2003 at 2:51 PM

    I thought the PATRIOT Act was the Justice Deptartment’s misanthropic spawn, Vagabond....

    United States Posted by Aaron on Sep 26, 2003 at 4:37 PM

    Vagabond, I think “picky” is good because it enhances understanding.  Please, be picky *smile*!!!

    United States Posted by Just Me on Sep 27, 2003 at 7:58 AM

    Neil, you are fucking lunatic.  Calm down and keep your mouth shut. 

    United States Posted by Bob on Sep 30, 2003 at 12:21 AM

    Just Me, well said to Eric. . .
    Here’s a 3rd possibility by way of a few questions: Does anybody realize that our President is self-described as being “not a student of history?”. . . [How that is possible for his particular job is beyond me], BUT:
    Remember that this is the same man who could manage to choke himself unconscious while trying to eat an entire pretzel without chewing!

    I bring these questions up because this appears to be a man who could actually be stupid enough to start WW4 through a mistaken sense of destiny and righteousness. The last time I had heard the term “Evildoers” was in a SuperFriends cartoon on Saturday morning.
    Food for thought: calling everyone from friendly mullahs to American citizens an evildoer must have seemed like a good idea at the time - kind of like trying to swallow a pretzel whole.

    It should be obvious by now even to most republicans that our country is going nowhere fast, with the worst economy since Hoover. Appointing an intellectual thug to calm things down is only the latest bad move in a series of stupid decisions.

    Let’s start with teaching the man how to chew his food properly, then move on to complicated stuff like world history. 

    United States Posted by Ed Mellon on Oct 1, 2003 at 2:34 AM

    Hilarious, Ed,...hilarious!!! 

    Of course, the danger of another world war,...is serious.  Never could I have imagined that my own country may act as the trigger for such a horrendous beginning in this new millenium.  On the other hand, I have learned a great deal more about the actions of our leadership over the years.

    If the American people actually had knowledge of some of the horrendous actions taken in our country’s name, I believe it would hurl them into a form of shock.  So, I guess the information will have to get out in small steps. 

    United States Posted by Just Me on Oct 1, 2003 at 5:37 PM

    Just Me,
    Yes the list is undoubtedly much longer than the .001% of information that is available to you and I. . . Unfortunately these are scary times for everyone.

    Here’s a good link:
    www.d-n-i.net

    It’s called “Defense in the National Interest” and is run by current and retired personnel from the Dept of Defense, the Pentagon and the armed forces. Food for thought.

    Hope all is well, glad to see some open minds. . . 

    United States Posted by Ed Mellon on Oct 2, 2003 at 4:08 PM

    Let me start by saying that this article is factually untrue.

    Pipes always makes a distinction between Islam, which is one of the world’s great three monotheistic religions, and Islamism, which is a radical fundamentalist nihilist political ideology.

    The lunatic Wahhabi fringe would like us to confuse the two groups. They are the ones who threaten the lives of moderates like Kabbani of Italy and Muslim feminist Taslima Nasrin.

    The world should be full of religious diversity, not ruled by any one religion. Unfortunately, the goal of all fundamentalists is for there to be no free thought. How much freedom of thought is there in Saudi Arabia?

    United States Posted by Kerry on Oct 3, 2003 at 7:37 AM

    It is time for Amercians to realize that the price of empire (an empire that is largely a force for good) is that people will hate you and want to kill you. Whether it is the black helicopter white supremacists or Islamic terrorists or some as yet unknown malcontents plotting in some motel, people will hate you. There is no avoiding this hatred; no way that you can lessen it. Every time you try you will inadvertently make someone else more angry. Live with it. Get out there and get them first-as you did in Iraq. You can’t make people like your society. You can make it very painful to act on that hatred-regardless of what group, tribe, or entity is involved.
    Oh, and in so doing, you may actually make the world a better place in which to live. Ask the Iraqis in 5 years. Cheers.

    Canada Posted by Normal Canadian on Oct 3, 2003 at 9:27 AM

    This is maddening.  We need action.

    United States Posted by Sister Mary Gebhard on Oct 6, 2003 at 10:49 AM

    Okay… I think History repeats itself…

    Let us think back to the American Revolution.  What was the cause, or the motive?  Exactly.

    Modern day imperialism is more apparent than it has ever been, and, according to History, what could be better?

    It is very troublesome to know that the majority of liberal thought concerning this matter will be ignored by the “masses”.  On the other hand, there are a lot of people watching Fox News!

    Time, hopefully, will correct the current orthodox situation.  If not, what is the next global superpower-an interesting thought at the least.

    United States Posted by Choppy Cheex on Oct 7, 2003 at 12:21 AM
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